MIssouri
Today ride start late morning in Cape Girardeau, Missouri traveling West on HWY 72 through the town on Jackson the road takes me along beautiful countryside of southern Missouri. Climbing from the Mississippi flatlands the bike is singing her song. Dialed in and relaxed not worrying about anything but the road, I ponder the morning update regarding the journey across this beautiful country.
Missouri is the last great state before the Great Plains. The countryside is rolling curvy undulating two-lanes roads rolling pass occasional farms and lakes. Traveling through the Mark Twain National Forest, the road becomes a roller-coaster ride through curves and hills that sweep along beautifully providing one of the best rides of the Cannonball. The "Show Me State" is filled with natural beauty. It is the paradise before the land flatten to the Great Prairie of Kansas. The history of Missouri is steeped in the lords of outlaws and hillbilly life.
Missouri History
Quant rill's Raiders, Confederate "Bushwhackers" who was a Confederate terrorist leader during the Civil War in Missouri. Jessie James suffering PSTD desired to continue the fight against the Union. Outlaw Josey Wales portrays a fictitious Cantrell Raider who is hunt by the "Captain Red Legs" of the Union army whose mission was to end the war in Missouri. The James Gang robbed trains and banks owned by Northerners. So adapted at successful robberies, the Union-Pacific Railroad hired the Pinkerton Detective Company which was essentially a private militia to hunt down and kill Jessie and his brother Frank. When the Pinkerton's burned Jessie homestead mistakenly thinking Jessie was inside. The fire killed Jessie's youngest brother and mother. Incensed with hatred for the Union, Jessie hunted down and killed Pinkerton's best field deceptive. So unnerved by the murder of his best man in the field, Pinkerton decided Jessie James was too tough and costly to fight and withdrew his militia. Jessie James became a folk hero in Missouri. The James Gang essentially did whatever they wanted without fear of reprisals. It wasn't until Jessie and Frank misunderstood the situation in Northfields, Minnesota when the James and Younger Gang decided to invade the north to rob the gold in the Northfields Bank. Even though the Younger-James Gang spent weeks surveying and planning the bank robbery, they failed to realize the day of the robbery was also the first day of hunting season. When the shooting in the bank started the citizens of Northfields grabbed their hunting rifles and gun and began to shot back. as the gang was trapped inside the bank things started to quickly fall apart. The Younger-James Gang was essentially eliminated in the streets of Northfields. with killed or captured to be killed later, then entire gang basically was defeated. Jessie and Frank somehow made their way to the horse and high-tailed it out of town. With the posse in pursuit the James brother hid in the woods for days until they made their way back to the safety of Missouri.
The Citizens of Northfield did what the federal government could not. Exercising their 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms. They practiced that right against the Younger-James Gang.
After the Northfield fiasco, Jessie James retired after all how much money does one really need especially if someone is shooting back. Jessie also received a pardon from the Governor, so Jessie settled down in Missouri to a quiet farm life. But as it goes if you live by the sword then you will die by the sword. Jessie took his final breath when friend, Robert Ford shot him in the back.
The Cannonball'ers ride across Missouri

John Pfeiffer's burned 1916 Harley Davidson happened on the first day 91 miles into the Cannonball Run

Team Douglas

We Connelly works on the Douglas

Steve Alexander of Smokey Mountain Chapter is a man who stands well over 6 1/2 feet and over 200 lbs. Steve actually has lost 40 lbs getting ready to ride the Cannonball which is a good thing. Steve's sense of humor is equally large. Always with a smile, Steve can seen working on his Douglas over at Carson Classic Cycles.
Steve's choice of Cannonball motorcycle is a 1915 Douglas. A diminutive motorcycle, the Douglas is a small bike carrying a BIG man across America. While hanging out with Steve and the Smokey Mountain Chapter members Doug, Erik and Roy the talk turned to the Douglas. Roy, an engineer who has a private shop in Adairsville, Ga has been assisting Steve, Doug and Erik in preparation for the Cannonball.
The Douglas is an English Twin 350cc two speed transmission without a clutch weighing in just over 300lbs, it is a typical small English motor-bicycles. While visiting Roy,'s shop, everyone was talking about the Douglas's engine spread apart on the bench. The group's attention turned to the size of the crankshaft which is small. The crankshaft is about the size a crankshaft from a weed-eater engine.
Nevertheless the crank is diminutive which makes Steve's accomplishment all that more impressive. When asked about the size of the Crankshaft, Steve states proudly, "it's not the size of the crank; it's the power of the piston!"
Steve probably is correct as the Douglas is turning out to be the "Mighty Douglas." "David vs Goliath" could n't be told in any better way as the small 350cc motorcycle competes with the Big Class III bikes.
Steve's Douglas has remarkably lasted through 6 days of the Cannonball.
Not finishing every leg, lots of blown tires, bleeding brassy oil, the Douglas and it's mighty crankshaft has carried Steve to Wichita.
Thanks to Little Joe of Chattanooga, the master technician and mechanic on the Team maintaining the Douglas as Steve rides it across the USA.
In the parking lot, Little Joe was carrying something in his hand that everyone thought was a magneto but it turns out it's the transmission. Steve buys his tubes & tires from Wal-Mart so blowing tires and tubes is only a Wal-Mart repair away.
Steve had an issue of blowing tubes. After several changes, Steve reasoned the tip of the exhaust pipe which exited right next to the rear tire was causing the tire to heat and blow out. A success solution was realized when Steve stopped at a Trail Bike Shop along the way where the mechanic fitted a cut-handlebar into the exhaust pipe extending the length of the pipe past the tire. Now Steve was solved the blown tire issue but he also has decreased the size of his exhaust Steve wants to believe by reducing the size of the exhaust he is actually creating back-pressure which might be providing a little more torque for Douglas.
The Douglas is a twin cylinder with a transmission which puts Steve's Douglas in the same Class III as the big Harley's, Henderson, and Indians. The Douglas has no clutch which means Steve has to slow the RPM's to shift the gears. The Shifting procedure is described by Little Joe as "shift slowly!"
Amazingly, Steve and his Douglas have earned 850 points out of a possible 1100 points, so it seems that Steve has gotten the job done so far. The brassy oil is caused by a main bearing going bad so Steve has to make it to Dodge City where Team Douglas has two days to work on the engine.
Steve Alexander and his "Mighty" Douglas have done the job! Be proud and congratulations to Steve Alexander

Hello, I am Steve and I approved this story...

White Trash Texan Style
Serving up some Cherokee Pride Texan style, Team White Trash is a top running Class III Harley Davidson team. Scott, Numo, Doc and Jesse are "Cherokee Proud." Typical of the Pride of Texas, Team White Trash pulls their own wrenches and rides their bike to the top in the Cannonball. Some might remember 2014 in Tacoma that the Texans truck and trailer with 5 priceless antique motorcycles were stolen from the hotel on the evening of the last day. Fortunate to the power of social media word of the thief was instantly sent out across the world to law enforcement and motorcycle shops. The thieves wouldn't be going far. The trash, trailer and motorcycles were recovered within a day but personal effects, clothing and a cache of parts were lost forever. The Team White Trash is back with a new idea and they are doing well.

Team White Trash Photo used with permission

Team White Trash is part of the Texan Cherokee Chapter representatives riding on the Cannonball. A fun loving group of men, who take motorcycling very serious but who want to have fun while doing it. Scott and Numo are the riders while Doc and Jeese are the supports. Parked in the lot, Team White Trash can be seen busily getting the Harleys ready for the next day. Numo's 1916 Harley Davidson is running strong in 17th place after 6 days. Numb is running a great Cannonball. Scott's 1916 Harley Davidson is equally running well. Scott has a Perfect Score running in 20th Place.

Norm and his Reading Standard are continuing to experience mis-fortune. Today Norm was able to bring the Reading in on time receiving another Perfect Score but upon tear down it was discovered the intake manifold rubber was split causing the machine to run very lean. The cylinder temperature reached over 700 degrees which in antique motorcycle terms is close to "melt-down." Team RS was lucky the engine didn't suffer catastrophic failure. As it stands, sparks plugs that failed were replaced. A new inlet rubber manifold was changed but the last reports out of the Team RS camp was 'there is no spark."

Team Alabama

Erik Bahl's 1915 Harley Davidson continues to run a Perfect Cannonball arriving early as usual without any problems. Erik continues to complete each day with a Perfect Cannonball. I have to think that Erik has done amazing job pf preparation and maintenance on his machine. In the Parking Lot, while other teams are scratching their heads, Erik go about his business preparing the Harley for the morning start.

Things are going well with Team Alabama.

Team "Brakeless Wonder"

Doug Jones 27th Place Class II 1914 Indian

Doug Jones, 1915 Indian continues to finish each day better then he stop at stop lights. A continuing problem in lacking brakes, Doug's Indian has named herself, "Brakeless." Every night Doug works on his brakes replacing liners. Roy Chapman arriving from Georgia to "Tag-Along" with Smokey Mountain Chapter has provided Doug with some superior brake lining. We hope that this solves Doug's braking issue as not stopping for stop lights is not a good thing.

Doug is a master engineer, technician, rider and mechanic. He and Erik of Team Alabama share resources as both a friends and members of Smokey Mountain Chapter. It might be noted that it was Doug who first noticed Steve's "Tiny Crank."

Doug's baking problem has been the headline discussion back in his electrical shop. As Doug's brakes continue to wear out so goes the soles of his boots. Having to use all resources to bring the Indian to a reasonable facsimile of a stop, he has resorted to using his boots. Some creative ideas have been bounced about to include purchasing a parachute backpack for Doug to wear as he descents down Wolf Creek Pass into Durango. The other option consider was to carry a rope and anchor but the weight caused that option to be ruled out. So the best solution was provided by his shop workers back home when they sent Team Brakeless Wonder a package with application instructions with a disclaimer stating the failure to appropriate follow the illustrated instruction would result in voiding of the warranty.